EL wire, or Electroluminescent wire, has a rigid wire core coated with phosphor and covered by a protective PVC sheath. When an AC signal is applied, it emits an aqua (blue - green) glow. By changing the coating, you can get different colors, like this vivid yellow. It resembles thin neon, is highly flexible, holds its shape, and can even be curled around your finger. It's an easy way to add a glow to your project. While not as bright as LEDs, it consumes significantly less power! We offer 2.6mm thick EL wire with a yellow coat. It's pre - cut and soldered to a standard quick - connect EL wire. Made with the latest technology, it's twice as bright as the 'standard' 2.3mm EL. Running at 1.5KHz/90V, it emits 88 cd/m² of light and has a half - life (50% brightness reduction) after 3000 hours of continuous use. It draws about 10mA per meter. Its capacitance is about twice that of 'standard' EL, 11 nF/m. So, if you use an inverter, it can drive only half as much high - brightness wire as standard. This wire is great for costuming, decoration, accent lighting, safety vests, bicycle/motorcycle/car/boat/home decoration, and signs. However, it's not for outdoor use and will fade if exposed to UV. To use, connect the wire to an inverter that provides an AC supply of about 100V at 2000 Hz (inverter not included). This 250 - cm wire is the maximum length our 2xAA portable pocket inverter can drive. The full length draws 200mA from 2xAA batteries, so 2000mAh batteries will last about 10 hours on 'constant' mode. We used this EL wire to make our awesome TRON bag, so check it out for inspiration. This is a pre - cut, pre - soldered 250 - cm piece of EL. You can plug it into an inverter and start glowing in seconds. If you want to do something more complex, you can cut and resolder it as you like. Soldering to EL wire is a bit tricky, but we have a detailed step - by - step tutorial. You'll need wire strippers, a soldering iron, solder, copper tape, heat shrink, and a third - hand tool. Note that EL tape, EL wire, and EL panel are made by different processes, so their colors and brightness won't be the same.
Using this EL wire is quite simple. First, you need to connect it to an inverter that provides an AC supply of about 100V at 2000 Hz. But remember, the inverter isn't included in the package. The 250 - cm long wire is the maximum that our 2xAA portable pocket inverter can handle. When you use 2xAA batteries, the full - length wire draws 200mA, so 2000mAh batteries will last around 10 hours on 'constant' mode. You can plug the pre - cut and pre - soldered wire right into the inverter, and it'll start glowing in seconds. If you want to do something more complex, like changing the length, you can cut and resolder it. However, soldering to EL wire can be a bit tricky. You'll need some tools like wire strippers, a soldering iron, solder, copper tape, heat shrink, and a third - hand tool will also be very helpful. There's a detailed step - by - step tutorial to guide you. This wire is great for many uses like costuming, decoration, and accent lighting. But it's not designed for outdoor use. If it's continuously exposed to UV, it'll fade. Also, keep in mind that EL tape, EL wire, and EL panel are made differently, so their colors and brightness won't match exactly.
